Browning radios

[dozerman]

This may not be posted in the right place, if it is, please move it.

I just had a dear friend go silent key Thursday and was an avid radio operator for 40 years. He was a nut for the Browning radios. Mark 3, mark 4 and I'm not sure what else. His wife has asked me and another hand to go thru his collection and sell it out. She doesn't need the money, just wants the stuff gone. I've been got so many amps, bases, antennas and mobiles to go thru it will take weeks.

My question is, in the event some of these Brownings don't operate at 100%, who would be a reputable tech to go thru these units. Best of my knowledge they are all complete units. Radio, speaker, mic and whatever else comes with them. I've never messed with a browning and wouldn't try. I know he has boxes and boxes of tubes for these radios as well.

 

[Dmans]

First thought that comes to mind is nomadradio.

 

[BJ radionut]

I know a Ham in Ohio(nr Dayton) that use to work on those, but not sure if he messes with them anymore....Like Nomade shipping/receiving) those is a real PIA and nowadays $$$
I agree Chris-NOMADE (nr Loiusville,KY) very much seems to know his stuff on those...but pretty much think Hand delivery and pick-up are his only preference.
Sorry abt your buddy...73
All the Best
Gary
Here's a link also: http://stores.goldeneagleradios.com/

 

[sonoma]

you start paying to have work done to the radios you may have more in them than what you can sell them for. just a thought

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Mike's radio repair in PA does tube radio refurbs and repairs.

 

[dozerman]

you start paying to have work done to the radios you may have more in them than what you can sell them for. just a thought

Yeah that's my only problem. I've seen these Brownings fetch good money, but it may be a wash if any need repairs or updates. I do know they are mint in appearance, but haven't been warmed up in ages.

 

[dozerman]

I know a Ham in Ohio(nr Dayton) that use to work on those, but not sure if he messes with them anymore....Like Nomade shipping/receiving) those is a real PIA and nowadays $$$
I agree Chris-NOMADE (nr Loiusville,KY) very much seems to know his stuff on those...but pretty much think Hand delivery and pick-up are his only preference.
Sorry abt your buddy...73
All the Best
Gary
Here's a link also: http://stores.goldeneagleradios.com/

Louisville wouldn't be so bad. Would be a good excuse to go see the parents. They live an hour south of Louisville. But they live 5 hrs from me lol.

I thought there was a hand in Alabama that worked on them as well. But we've yet to go thru all his things and inventory. thanks for the replies fellas

 

[Onelasttime]

Look people with more money than brains will pay $600-$800 for a Cobra 2000 that is untested and been sitting in the box for 40+ years that might not even work. On top of that they will pay another $180 to get it shipped from Canada.I think I say a TRC-449 listed for $400+ the other and another $100 for shipping etc....If I recall they did not even plug it in to see if it powered up.

My point is that it does not need to be tested to work in order for people to covet it! These old Brownings are bulky 2 box units.

You said she does not need the money so really if you wanted too you could give them away and just charge shipping. If she really wants them gone it should not be hard to make that happen. I think people sometimes get too caught up in the money when what they really want is to get something gone.

I gave a trumpet away the other day that I could have easily gotten $2000 for. The girl I gave it too has real talent, hard working and a passion for music. It would have just been sitting around in my attic slowly rotting away along with 30-50 other trumpets in my attic not to mention the ones I build and sell just because. Nothing is worse than seeing an object rot away or become a museum or trailer queen when there are people that would love that object, cherish and put it too good use either from hobby standpoint or from making a living with it etc....

I told her she owes me nothing other than to make music with it, practice daily even if it is just for 5 minutes and to take care of it. If ever she is in a position to help someone without putting herself in a dangerous situation to pay it forward.

I fail at what I am about to say daily sometimes on this site sometimes in the real world. I tell my boys this all the time. When you are confronted by someone especially if you love that person they can get under you skin so quickly and so deeply. When you are in a debate, argument, confrontation do not focus on winning the day focus on the outcome you desire. Often we lose sight of what is really important to us and we get caught up in winning or some other thing besides the outcome we desire. In this case, you said very specifically "she does not need the money she just wants them gone!" so focus on that on getting them "gone". It does not matter if they need some work because you really only need to make sure you give them a good new home with someone that will cherish them and use them and take care of them. In a situation like this, it does not matter what you can get for them since that is not the surviving spouse's priority!

 

[kaos513]

Take your time going through the inventory you dont wanna shatter any tubes.

 

[BJ radionut]

The golden eagle link I posted is in Trinity, AL...
I kinda follow OLT's lead...if money is not the issue...sounds like speed in getting the gear gone is the reality...I would consider pricing "AS-IS" and be done with it...to get the equipment out of sight out of mind...

OK I know I will get Flamed for this... but really this is True!...
A 5/10 - 40 yr radio certainly or even a 1 week old radio once removed from the factory sealed carton and turned on is NEVER MINT unless this is done by original distribution center or Dealer for testing before shipment to the FIRST OWNER... Otherwise it is USED!...
Buy a new Car/Truck drive it off the lot around the block bring it back to dealer...may be Excellent + and Pristine in every detail...but it is no longer MINT!
It ( used radio) may be Cosmetically Very Clean and electrically 100% functional but it is NOT mint!
So think about that when you go to quickly relieve her of the inventory of her late Husband's gear.
Same with tubes...unless it is in a factory Sealed box it can not be considered new...even opening every box and checking labeling plus correctly testing each tube...IMHO can not be consider New or NOS...it is a used tube...
The best dealers of tubes have multiple testers which are calibrated on regular basis plus Final testing every tube they sell just before shipment and supply Testing data sheets plus will Guarantee them, these should only be considered...NOS...
Again MHO , all others are to be considered in "AS-IS" used condition...
So buyer should be made aware.
All the Best
Gary

 

[dozerman]

Well thanks for the replies fellas. Only reason I asked about repair facilities, is I wouldn't want to send a radio out that someone couldn't talk on right away. Just me I guess.

Not sure I'm going to give them away either. smh... if he wouldn't give them away when he was living, why would I now?

Going to start this weekend on the tubes and start testing. Gonna take a few days... thanks again guys

 

[wavrider]

Reality,

Tubes will probably test OK
After you test tubes then start unsoldering and testing every electrolytic cap on the bottom of the chassis, once that is accomplished and bad caps replaced then start unsoldering the resistors and ohm them, replace the ones out of tolerance, and there will be many due to nature of carbon resistors and age.

The old tubers require maintenance and upkeep.
If you do not have the test equipment, time or knowledge to do that then sell them as is untested and they will still fetch a decent price.

 

[Mudfoot]

Browning's aren't anything special. I'd pass them off to someone as they are. You'll just beat yourself up trying to fix them, then make enough in return to make it worthwhile. Plenty of dudes out there that covet and form emotional attachments to radios like this.

 

[Riverman]

Plenty of dudes out there that covet and form emotional attachments to radios like this.

Guilty as charged.

 

[nomadradio]

The newest Browning tube base is 40 years old. A Mark 2 is over 50.

Tubes are a big part of the restoration picture. If it had an odometer you could guess at how many tubes you'll need based on how many thousand miles are on it. The tester is your friend, but a tube that the radio doesn't like will still have to be replaced with a tube that the radio DOES like. Horse traders I work for will only want "what's broke today" fixed. Every other ticking time-bomb part is left alone so long as it works long enough to demonstrate and sell the thing.

But zeroing in on an objective is important. As a shelf decoration, the used-car lot treatment is all you need. Make the shiny stuff look good.

Making it work just well enough (cheap as possible) to sell calls for some skills at identifying and replacing only the 50 year-old stuff that has gone south.

Making it back into a reasonable daily driver takes you beyond the threshold of "repair" and squarely into the category of "restore".

That means replacing a pile of parts because of age only, in addition to any parts that have reached their mileage limit. A lightly, or never-used radio is cheaper to restore, most of the time.

And we're nowhere near being ready to solicit shipped-in Brownings.

But seriously, setting an objective would help zero in on what to do next.

73